Title
Consider approving Resolution No. 2025-065 authorizing the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with Kimley-Horn, Inc. for design and engineering services related to the installation of a traffic signal at Rawhide Parkway and Josey Lane for an amount not to exceed $87,700; and take appropriate action.
Body
REQUESTOR:
Councilwoman Tina Bennett-Burton; Public Works Department
BACKGROUND:
The Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District recently announced the closure of three elementary schools and one middle school. The school closures will create new attendance zones in Carrollton and Farmers Branch. Some Farmers Branch residents who live on the east side of Josey Lane will now attend schools on the west side of the six-lane road.
Since the school district announcement, the City has been assessing pedestrian pathways that students may take to walk to school. One intersection that could be improved is Josey Lane and Rawhide Parkway. There are a couple of options to enhance the safety of this intersection. One is road reconfiguration to reduce the number of lanes, which would shorten the walking distance for students, pedestrians, and recreational trail users along the Rawhide Greenbelt. The second and most cost-effective option is to create a signalized intersection.
Josey Lane is a divided, six-lane road with a general north/south alignment, while Rawhide Parkway is a two-lane road with a general east/west alignment. Rawhide Parkway traffic must stop at Josey Lane, while north and southbound traffic on Josey Lane does not stop at this intersection. The intersection currently has a rapid flash beacon on the south side of the Rawhide Parkway for pedestrians crossing Josey Lane. However, the intersection of these two roads has some challenges for drivers. First, the southbound traffic traveling on Josey Lane approaches the intersection while navigating a right-hand curve while descending a hill, making it challenging to see pedestrians and the activated rapid flash beacon. In addition, the drivers attempting to cross or turn onto Josey Lane from Rawhide Parkway face limited sightlines.
Finally, the angle at which the two roads intersect reduces the median length to allow westbound drivers to turn southbound onto Josey Lane to make the turn safely. Therefore, there is no median refuge for pedestrians crossing Josey Lane. Once they start across the road, they must complete the crossing.
DISCUSSION:
The City selected Kimley-Horn to perform an initial intersection assessment from a pedestrian safety perspective. The original plan was to start the design of the intersection traffic signal in Fiscal Year 2026; however, the school district’s decision to close the elementary schools has changed the timing of the design work. Because Kimley Horn has performed the initial intersection assessment and the desire to design and construct the signal infrastructure quickly, the city requested a design fee and scope of services for the traffic signal infrastructure at Rawhide Parkway and Josey Lane. Kimley Horn has worked with the City of Farmers Branch on trail design and active transportation projects. They provide excellent customer service, and the firm has a large staff and, as a national firm, has a wide breadth of engineering services to assist with any challenges that may arise within a short timeline.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Unbudgeted Financial Impact ($87,700 from Trail Bond Fund)
DISTRICT:
District 2
POSSIBLE COUNCIL ACTION:
1. I move to approve Resolution No. 2025-065 as presented.
2. I move to approve Resolution No. 2025-065, with modifications.
3. I move to table the issue for further study or take no action.
ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Resolution No. 2025-065
2. Contract - Kimley Horn: Josey Lane and Rawhide Parkway Traffic Signal